The Veteran's claim for service connection for essential thrombocythemia has been denied as there is no evidence linking the condition to his active military service. The claim for an increased evaluation for loss of lung capacity has also been denied, with the RO having granted a noncompensable evaluation in September 2008 and subsequently increasing it to 10 percent effective June 16, 2008.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's essential thrombocythemia was first diagnosed years after service and there is no evidence linking the condition to his military service. The loss of lung capacity has been rated under Diagnostic Code 6844, which assigns a noncompensable evaluation based on the severity of respiratory impairment.
- Claimed conditions
- Essential Thrombocythemia, Loss of Lung Capacity
- How they argued it
- Reopened with new and material evidence
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- May 25, 2011
- Citation
- 1120301
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation 1120301.
What this means for you
A denial is a starting point, not the end of the road. You can see why this claim fell short — and, if you are still inside the one-year window, the appeal lanes that may remain open to you.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Veteran's blood disorder, including essential thrombocythemia and myelodysplastic syndrome, is not shown to be causally or etiologically related to his military service. The VA examiner found it less likely than not that the Veteran's current blood disorders are linked to his reported exposure to smoke and oil in the Persian Gulf.
- Denied
The Board denied an initial compensable evaluation for service-connected essential thrombocythemia, finding that the veteran's platelet count was stable and within normal limits.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining SSA records and providing proper notice regarding secondary service connection.
- Granted
The Veteran's claim for service connection for PTSD was reopened due to the submission of new and material evidence. The appeal is granted as his PTSD is now considered service-connected.
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